Fastener driving machine



Oct. 19, 1943. F. PoLzER FASTENER DRIVING MACHINE Original Filed Feb. 18, 1942" I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 19, 1943. F. PoLzER 2,332,257

FASTENER DRIVING MACHINE I original Filed Feb'. 1s, 1942 s sheets-sheet 2 Oct. 19, 1943.` F. PoLzERU FASTENER DRIVING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Original Filed Feb. 18, 1942 Patented Oct. 19, 1943 FASTENER DRIVINfy insonnia Fridolin Polzer, Norwalk, Conn., assigner to E. H. Hotchkiss Company, Norwalk, Conn., a corporation of `Connecticut Original applicationFebl-uary 18, 1942, Serial No.

431,352. Divided" and this' application lAugust 26, 1942, Serial No. 456,229, v'

i?, claims.

This invention relates to fastener driving machines particularly of the type .for driving substantially U-shaped or similar fasteners. n

A particular object is to provide a construe-1 tion in which fastener drivers of different thicknesses may be used, and mounted so that the drivers may be readily changed to drive different widths or sizes of fasteners so that the same machine, merely through a simple operation, may be adapted for driving different widths or sizes of fasteners, giving in effect several machines in one.

It is another object to provide a Structure for a machine of this type in which practically kall of the parts may be made of press-work and stamped and formed from sheet metal oi suitable gauge or thickness.

With the foregoing and other objects in view I have ydevised the construction illustrated inthe accompanying drawings forming a part of this specication. It, however, is to be understood the invention is not limited to the specic details of construction and arrangement shown but may employ various vchanges and mo'dications within the scopeof the invention.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation withparts broken away to more clearly show the construction;

Fig. 2 is a top plan `view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section sub'- stantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4, or just kinside the side plate of the hand lever, showing certain of the internal `members in side elevation, and certain of them broken away so that the section through the driver and the fastener feed is sulol stantially on the line 3a-3a of FigJl;`

Fig. 4 is a top'plan view just under the top lwall of the hand lever, thus showing the sides of the hand lever in section andthe internal members in plan view; n

Fig. 5 is a front elevation;

Fig. 6 is a partial side elevation and partialfsection of the front of the machine showing a slight modification; l

Fig. 'i is a front view of the arrangement of v Fig. 8 is a perspective View of the front portion of the head of the machine vwith the driver operating mechanism removed;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the hammer lever J for operating the driver; f a Fig. 10 is a transverse vertical section substantially on line Iii-l0 of Fig. 3; y

Fig. -11-is aperspective -view of adriver and front'plate,whiCh-mav-beusedr,and

Fig. 12 isa similar `view of another driver and, front plate, these Figures 1'1 and l2 showing howv by the use of 'drivers andiront'plates of different thicknessesth'e machine may be readily changed to adapt it'for driving vdifferent.widths or sizes of fasteners without 'changing rthe structure olfthe machine, sothatthe' `saine machine isl adaptv able -fordriving Several difierent sizesor widths of fasteners'. Y y

This application is a division :of my prior Aapplication for patent for'iastener driving machine,

Serial No. 431,352, led -Febriary.18,'1942.'

The machine illustrated isfor driving 'substantialli7 .Ushapedifast`eners`orstaples, .but the same mechanism "may be 'used to kdrive 'varioustypes of fasteners, such for` example 'as' *two-pronged staples, tacks, nailsand'the'llike, Nitbeing necessary tomerely'chan'g'e theshape andsiz'e of Vthe fastener guiding and feeding means I and the driver to suit theI 'type'and sizeof fastener used. `-The .device cQmprisesan/elongated body 'member Iy lhaving a il'iv'orizontal"portion'substantially U- shaped 4in crossfsection 'forming 'a handle vat one'end anda-t its-fvorw'ard end lhaving upright extensions? onth'side'walls forming-a head por-V tionf -Tl'isniembe may tlestamped and? formed from heavy 'sheet metall of suitable thickness' and therefore maybe 'press-work *rather than a cast#l iog'."1t`ericf1oses tn e'fasterief support orfguide s which"extends-iongitosiiiauy of the horizontal poitionand' isI op'r'efr-'ably'f substantially LJ- shap'e withits side wallsl 'spaced'irom the side walls 5 of I`the 'body' I 'tn p'rovide spac'e `for the prongsof the' fasteners? i'nth'e illustration shwn ""ped staples 6, supported 'on the endian@ forming .themen vthegui Ihre yof., ulosta Enclosing the rear end portion of the handle body I is a hand grip 9 which may be of any suitable material, such for example as rubber, wood or other composition.

The fasteners 6 are fed along the support and guide 3 to the driving position by a feed mechanism including a follower I of substantially inverted U-shape in cross section so as to rest on top of the guide 3 and embrace the sides thereof, and it includes a downwardly extending v`loop II embracing and slidable on a rod I2 about which is a light feed spring I3 tending to force the I drawn upwardly with the driver.

Vrest on the top edge of the wall 29 to determine follower forwardly and with it the fasteners to carry them to the driving position. The end of the rod may be enlarged as lshown at I4 to prevent the follower sliding off, and the follower may have a downwardly extending lip I5 on its forward end to engage the rear wall i8 cf the staple raceway or guideway I1, to prevent the forward end of the follower from being carried into the raceway under the driver I8. The rear end of the horizontal portion of the body I is open for insertion of the staple or fastener strips onto the support and guide 3, and the rod I2 is supported by a member I9. The member I8 is held in position by a pivoted catch 24 to hold both this member I9 and the rod I2 in position, but by releasing the catch member 24, ythe `rod I2, spring I3 and follower IIJ may be withdrawn through the rear end of the machine to permit feeding of a strip offasteners onto the guide and support 3. Details of this catch are not shown as they are not claimed in the present application, but they may be the same as shown inthe parent application above mentioned.

The mechanism for driving the fasteners is mounted at the forward portion of the body. Although substantially U-shaped staples or fasteners are shown, it will be understood that other shapes and types of fasteners may be employed, in which case the fastener feeding device` and driver would be changed to adapt them for the particular fastener-used. The driver I8 of a thickness for the width or thickness of the staple or fastener to be used is mounted for vertical reciprocating movement between the side walls 2 of the body memberandthe back wall of a removable front plate 30 which extends downwardly to a point adjacent the striking wall 3|. The removable front plate is retained inposition relative to the front wall 29 by means later described. The plate 30 and driver I3 are in back of the front wall 28 of the head portion, the removable plate 30 beingv between the driver and the front wall 29 and forms a forward guide for the driver. The lower end portion of the plate 30 is spaced forwardly from the forward end of the fastener supporting guide 3 a distance substantially that of or slightly wider than the thickness of the staple or fastener to form a guideway or raceway I1 forvthe fasteners through which they are forced by the driver I8 and driven into `the object which is to be fastened. The lower end portion of the plate 30'is held in this position by the lower end 32 of a spring 33 secured to the front wall 29 by any suitable means such as the rivets 34, and this permits the lower end of the plate 39 forming the front wall of the raceway I1 to move forwardly or yield a 'short distance, should a staple or fastener of slightly oversize be forced into the raceway, and thus prevent jamming of a staple `or fastener in the raceway and clogging of the machine. Thelower end portion upper end portion 35 of the spring is used to releasably retain the front plate in position. For this purpose the spring is provided with a T-head or cross bar 36 and plate 30 is bent forwardly and recessed to provide the spaced lugs 31 which may engage under the cross bar 36 to thus retain the plate 30 and prevent its being The lugs 31 its lower position and retain it against further downward movement. By merely springing the top portion of the spring outwardly as shown in dotted lines Fig. 3, the front plate 30 is released and may be raised as indicated by the dotted lines and removed from the machine. After this plate is rremoved the driver I8 may be re- `leased from this operating mechanism and also removed.

This driver i3 is provided with an opening 38 to seat over a lug 39 on the front edge of a block 40 pivotally mounted in the forward end of the hammer lever 4I. The block 4i! supports the driver and backs it up at its rear side so the driver is prevented from moving away from the front plate 30 and is held at the rear side of this plate. ,This lever is a weighted lever so that it will have sufficient weight or :nass to operate the driver to set a fastener when the device is swung so that its forward end strikes an object, The lever has a forked forward end in which the block 40 is mounted and in which it is supported for limited swinging movement by the transverse pivot pin 45. The lower edges of the plates 42 under this pivot are rounded as indicated at 41 l to rest on shoulders 43 on the top of transverse ribs 49 on opposite sides of the block 40, whereby pressure from the lever il is transmitted directly to the block 4!! in the fastener driving operation l instead of through the pivot pin 46. The walls of plate 30 could also spring slightly to relieve a. jammed fastener or one'slightly oversize. The

v4l are struck on the arc of a circle with the center of the pin 45 at the center so these curved walls will roll on the shoulders 48 as the block 40 swings on its pivot. The opposite ends of the pin 46 project beyond the side plates 42 so as to extend into upright guide slots 56 in the side Walls 2 of the body member, these slots extending through the tops of these walls for easy insertion and removal. These slots guide the block 40 for straight up and down movement parallel to the front wall 29, and as it carries the driver I8 it retains the driver closely adjacent the rear side of the front plate 3D for its up and down reciprocating movement. it will be seen that at the top portion of each of the side walls 2 is a rearward extension or lug 5l forming a stop shoulder 52 to be engaged by the ends 53 of the transverse stop pin, as indicated in Fig, 3, to limit the upward movements of the lever.

The hammer lever 4I is mounted in a movable hollow hand lever 54, this lever bein-e' preferably of substantially inverted U-shape in cross section and stamped and formed from sheet metal of suitable thickness. It is pivoted to theV body member l at 55 through downwardly extending lugs 56 on a small bracket 55a fastened to the under side of the body l by any suitable means such as rivets or welding. The sides 51 of this lever 54 are extended downwardly sc as to enclose the hammer lever 4I and the head portion of the body to protect them and also help retain them in position as well as to cover them up to give a better appearance. The hammer lever 4I and to permit free and unrestricted movement of the lever l4| this pivotalk rivet lpass'esthrough an elongated -slot 59 inthe lever. The lever :4l is thus in effect a oating lever. kThis elongated slot can be conveniently located in rearward ex.- tensions of the .plates 43. A coil spring `|50 mounted on the top wall 8 and under the lever 4| tends to move this lever and the lever 54 to the upper or normal. position ready for a fastener driving operation and retain .it therein. It may engage at its `lower end over an upwardly extending lug 6| cut and bent upwardly from the bottom wall of the member 8 and may seat at its upper end in a-recess 62'in the underside of the lever. 'An additional-flatrspring 63 may also be mounted on the member 8.and engage under the lever 4| to help raise thislever and-the lever 54, this springk being also mounted on the wall 8 and provided with-an opening to seat over the lug 6 l and extend at itsrear 'end under a cross [pin'64 to retain it in position on themember 8. A clip G-`rnounted on the top wall of the lever 54 is Aextended downwardly .and rearwardly to engage the member 8 when the lever is in its vupperposition to form a sort of cushion for resilient stop asthe levers move to their upper position and reduce the blow ofthe stops t3v against the lugs 5|. On the top of the hand lever 54 is Amounted a hand cushion or grip 6B of rubber or other suitable relatively soft or yieldable resilient material to cushion the pressure or blow-against the hand when the device is used as a hand operated staple or fastener setting device, this cushion being securedto thelever by any vsuitable means such as rivets 61. With this construction and arrangement the block 4B, hammer lever 4| and `hand lever 54 mayv operate as a unit. 4 l Y The striking surface 3| is on the lower side of the hammer member 68 stamped and formed of heavy metal to substantially U-shape and secured to the -bottomwall `of the body l'by any suitable means such as rivets'69 or welding. The same rivets can be used to fasten' the stapleY guide orsupport -3 inthe-body. 'I'he forward wall 10 vof the member 68 extends upwardlyin frontl .ofthe fastener guide and provides across wall 1| in front ofthe `front plate `30`to support and back upthis'plate'and'limit its outward movement. There is, however, ordinarily `a certain amount of clearance between the front plate .30 and the cross wall to permit limited yielding movement of the plate 30 asabove describedshould an* oversized fastener be forced into the raceway. Thefront 4wall `1`0is cut away, asshown at 12., to permit the spring 32 to engage the front plate 30 and also tov expose the 'front portion Aof the staple guide -3 when the front plate is removed to permit clearing of themachine should La staple or -other "fastener4 be jammed in the machine. This also permits insertion of a staple or fastener stri-p on-to "the guide 3 from the front of the machine,'as will presently ybe described Ain connection with the/'modified .construction of Figs. l6 and 7, as Wlllas removal of 4fasteners through the front 'of themachine should it be desired to 'do so. The rear wall |6 of the vracewayv is formed by the upwardly extending portionof an L -shaped member vmounted between the side walls of the guide i3, the otherportions |6a resting on the bottom wall -of the member 3y and Isecured thereto'ibyany suitable means such as welding -or rivetsr .13. 'The striking wall 3| is shown `as inclined downwardlytand rearwardly so that in striking an `'object with this device it may be struck with this wall 3| substantially vparallel -of the front wall 10 and seating in notches in the front edges of the Walls 15.

, Inthe modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7. an arrangement is shown whereby the fasteners, such forexample as a staplestrip 1l, may .be fed or inserted in the machine from the front. In thislcase the spring 18 corresponding to the spring 3| is raised higher, the cross wall 19 correspond- 'ing with the cross wal1-1| being narrowed for this purpose, so thatl the lower end of this spring 18 resting against'the front plate 3D is spaced above the top wall of the staple guide and'support-3. Therefore when the front plate 3|! is raised the staple strip 'l1 may ybe slid onto-the top ofthe support 3 by sliding it in from-.the front thereof, as shown by the arrow.y This `:may be forced in against theaction ofthe feedspring I3, butpreferably the spring and the follower I0 would'rst `be retracted toward the rear of the machine after releasing the catch 24.

In operation the machine is gripped by the handle gripr 9 and by swinging it inthe manner similar to swinging a hammer, the forward end and particularly the striking surface 3| is struck against the object to be fastened. This ofcourse arrests `rthe movement of the head end of the device, but the inertia of the vweighted levers 4| and 54 will carry them downwardly .to force the block 40 and driver |8 downwardlyy to drive va fastener through ithe raceway into vthe object, after which the springs 60 and l|53 will raise the levers and the driver tothe upright-or normal position shown inFig. 5, at which .the ynext following stapleis fed by follower |0 and spring I3 into'the raceway under the lower end of the driver in position preparatory to thepnext driving operation.` If the device is to be used as a hand operateddevice, the grip 9 fis held in one hand with the surface 3| resting on ythe ,article to be fas.- tened.` By pressing ,or a light blow on the grip or cushion 6,6 withvthe other hand the levers 54 and Mare forced downwardly, carrying with them the driver .Hi and driving the fastener into the work. Therefore thev device is equally adaptedfor use4 either inthe manner of a hammer or as a handoperated device. l Y

Figs. ll and 12 illustrate two drivers for the fasteners of different thicknesses. That is, the driver A|811 of Fig. 1l is shown asv being of less thickness than the driver |812 of Fig. l2. The driver lawould therefore be used for driving fasteners or staples of less width than would the driver |81), as for proper operation the driver should'preferably be of substantially the width of the fasteners. However, as the space between the front wall 'V29 and front edgeof blockii, and the forward end of vthe vfastener support v'and guide 3 and the upright wall |6 and the forward wall 29, .of the head portion of the machine yis xed, the front wall 30 should be changed and be of the proper thickness to correspond with the space between the driver and the front wall. -Thus when using the thinner driver |.8a of Fig. 11 the front plate 30afshould be correspondingly thicker, and when using the thicker `driver lsb .of Fig. 12 the corresponding lfront Vplate 30a should be thinner.

relieved by a groove e in theupper portion in the rear wall thereof to form a clearance for the projecting end of the lug 39 on the operating block 40. It will thus be seen that by using differentthicknesses of the driver I8 and' front plates 30 of correspondingly different thicknesses, the ma'- chine may be adapted for driving several different widths of fasteners, the range cf course being limited only by the capacity of the machine as determined by the clearance in the head of the machine provided for the driver I8 and the front plate 30. To thus adapt the machine for driving any particular width of fastener all that is necessary is to remove the plate 33 and driver I8 and insert a driver and plate of the proper thickness for the fastener involved, which it will be seen is a very simple operation.` Therefore exactly the same mechanism without anyv Vchange or adjustment can be easily and quickly adapted for different thicknesses or widths of fasteners, making in effect several machines in one, as a new machine is not required for a different size staple or fastener.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

l. A fastener driving machine comprising. an elongated body having an upright transverse front wall at its forward end, a fastener support and guide in the body terminating at its for ward end spaced rearwardly of said wall, a fastener driver mounted to the rear of said front wall for reciprocating movement and spaced therefrom, an operating lever to which the driver is detachably connected so it may be removed from the machine, a front plate removably mounted between the driver and the front wall to form a front guide for the driver and spaced from the forward-end of the fastener guide to form a raceway for the fasteners, said driver being movable in the raceway to drive a fastener, and means for feeding fasteners to the raceway to be driven by the driver.

2. A fastener driving machine comprising yan elongated body having an upright transverse front wall at its forward end, a fastener driver mounted to the rear of said front wall for reciprocating movement and spaced therefrom, an operating lever to which the driver is removably attached so that it may be removed from the machine, a front plate mounted between the front wall and the driver to form a front guide for the driver and retain it connected to the lever, said front plate being removably mounted to release the driver, a fastener guide and support terminating a short distance to the rear of the front plate to form therewith a raceway under the driver through which fasteners may be driven by said driver, and means for feeding fasteners along said support to the raceway.

S. A fastener driving machine comprising a body including a fastener support and guide, a removable front plate arranged with its lower end portion spaced forwardly of the front end of said support to form a guiding raceway through which the fasteners may be driven, va fastener driver reciprocable in said raceway to drive the fasteners therethrough, said front wall extending above the support to form a front guide for the driver, means at the rear side of the driver for guiding and operating it, said front plate and driver being detachably mounted so they may be removed from the machine, and said machine adapted for mounting front plates and drivers With the thicker plate L30a and the thin driver |8a, the plate 30a,may ,be

of different thicknesses .to adapt the Vmachine for driving fasteners of different thicknesses, and means for feeding fasteners along the support to the raceway.

4. A fastener .driving machine comprising a body including a fastener support and guide and an upright transverse front wall above and forwardly of the front end of said support, a removable' front plate at the rear side of said front wall and at its lower end portion being spaced forwardly of the front end of said support to form therewith a raceway for the fasteners, a fastener driver mounted at the rear side of said front plate to reciprocate in the raceway to drive a fastener, guiding and operating means for the driver at the-rear side thereof, said driver being detachably secured to the operating means so that it may be removed from the machine, the space between the front wall and said rear guiding means being adapted to receive front plates and drivers of different thicknesses to adapt the machine to drive lfasteners of different thicknesses, and means for feeding fasteners along the support to the raceway.

5. A fastener driving machiner comprising a body, a fastener support and guide mounted therein, an upright removable front plate spaced forwardly of the front end of the support to form a fastener guideway with the support, a fastener driver mounted at the rear of the front plate and guided thereby and movable through the guideway to drive a fastener, a spring catch to retain the front plate in the body and releasable to permit removal of said plate and the driver, yieldable means holding the lower end of said plate in position and arranged to permit the plate to yield outwardly to permit an oversized fastener to be driven through the guideway, means for operating the driver, and means for feeding fasteners along the support to the guideway.

6. A fastener driving machine comprising a body including upright side walls connected by a transverse front wall, a fastener driver mounted to reciprocate between the side walls at the rear of the front wall, a fastener support A,in the body, a removable front plate between the front wall and said driver and spaced at its lower end portion forwardlyof the front end of said support to form a guideway for the fasteners, a lug on the upper end of said front plate engaging over the upper edge of vthe front wall to limit downward movement ofthe plate, a catch spring engaging over the lug to retain the plate in position, means for operating the driver vto drive aY fastener through the guideway, and means for feeding fasteners along thesupportto the guideway.

7. A fastener driving machine including a body, a raceway for fasteners, a fastener driver mounted for reciprocating movement in the raceway, means for operatingthe driverto which the driver is detachably connected so it may be removed from the machine, a front plate mounted at the forward side of the driver in position to form a front guide for the driver and retain it connected'to the operating means, means for removably mounting the front plate so that it may be removed to permit removal of the driver, saidv latter means being adapted for mounting front plates of different thicknesses so that drivers of different thicknesses may be used, and means for feeding fasteners to the raceway under the driver.-

8. A fastener driving machine including a body, a raceway for fasteners in the body, a removable front plate forming the front wall of said raceway, a fastener driver mounted Vfor reciprocating movement in the raceway, means for operating the driver to which it is detachably connected so that it may be removed'4 from the machine, means in the body for removably mounting front plates of diiierent thicknesses to provide raceways of different thicknesses for different widths of fasteners, and said operating means being adapted for operating drivers of different thicknesses.

9. A fastener driving machine comprising a body, an upright transverse front wall at the forward part of the body, a fastener support and guide in the body terminating at its forward end adapted to yield outwardly away from the guide to relieve a fastener in the guideway, means to limit downward movement of the front plate, means to releasably hold the plate in position,

and means to feed fasteners along the guide to the guideway.

10. A fastener driving machine comprising a body, an upright transverse front wall at the forward part of the body, a fastener support and guide in the body terminating at its forward end to the rear of the front wall and located below the lower edge thereof, a fastener driver mounted to reciprocate to the rear of the front wall, a shiftable front plate between the driverandthe front wall and extending at its lower end to a position in front of and spaced from the end of the guide 3 and support to form a guideway for the fasteners, means for securing the front plate in position and releasable to permit raising of the plate to carry its lower end to a position above the top of the guide and support to permit insertion of a strip of fasteners on said support from the front end thereof, and means for feeding fasteners along the support to the guideway.

11. A fastener driving machine comprising a body including 'a fastener support and guide and an upright transverse front wall above and forwardly of the front end of said support, aremovable front plate at the rear side of said front wall and at its lower end portion being spaced forwardly of the front end of said support to form therewith a raceway for the fasteners, a fastener-driver mounted at the rear side of said front' plate to reciprocate in the raceway to drive a fastener, means for operating the driver, said plate being normally spaced a short distance from the port, and means for feeding fasteners along the.

support to the raceway.

' 12. A fastener driving machine comprising an elongated body having a handle'at one end and spaced upright side walls connected by'a transverse front wallrat the other end, a fastener guide and support in said body, a removable front plate immediately to the rear of said front wall and spaced forwardly of the forward end of the fastener guide to provide a raceway for the fasteners, Aa removable drivermounted at the rear side of the front plate and movable through the raceway to drive a fastener, van operating lever connected with the driver to operate it to drive a fastener through the raceway, and means for feeding fasteners to the raceway.

' FRDDOLIN POLZER. 

